Cryopreservation of Centaurea ultreiae (Compositae) a critically endangered species from Galicia (Spain).
Ex situ conservation of endangered plants is an important aim in order to preserve biodiversity of flora in threatened ecosystems. Among the biotechnological techniques which can be used, cryopreservation is emerging as a preferred option in many instances. This study describes a cryopreservation technique developed for shoot tips of the endangered species Centaurea ultreiae (Compositae) using a vitrification procedure. Basal medium (BM) for preculture and loading phases consisted of 1/2 MS basal salts with modified vitamins (3 microM thiamine). For preculturing shoot tips, BM with five osmotic treatments were investigated: 0.3 M sucrose +/- 20 microM ABA, 0.6 M glycerol +/- 20 microM ABA and 0.25 M sucrose + 0.25 M glycerol + 10 microM ABA. A loading solution treatment (BM with 2 M glycerol and 0.4 M sucrose) was applied prior to exposure of shoot tips to PVS2 and found to be indispensable to obtaining successful post-LN recovery. Highest (95.5%) regrowth of LN immersed shoot tips was obtained following incubation on BM + 0.3 M sucrose + 20 microM ABA or 0.25 M sucrose + 0.25 M glycerol + 10 microM ABA, with loading treatment and PVS2 exposure for 20 minutes at 0 degree C.


BACKGROUND
cryopreservation, encapsulation, endangered species, ex situ conservation, vitrification.
Mallon
Rubén
R
Departamento de Fisiologia Vegetal, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Bunn
Eric
E
Turner
Shane Robert
SR
Luz Gonzalez
María
M
D031179:Centaurea; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D018520:Plant Shoots; D013030:Spain